BOWLERS KEEPOZ IN CHECK
Australian captain Ricky Ponting faced a tricky decision on a likely target for India after the hosts clawed their way back into the first cricket Test yesterday.
The tourists will start the final day’s play today with an overall lead of 263 with five wickets in hand on a deteriorating wicket that is making batting difficult. Ponting, whose team closed the fourth day at 193 for five in their second knock, has three sessions left in the match to force a result by giving his bowlers enough time to dismiss India again.
India not only prolonged their first innings to 360 to narrow Australia’s lead to 70 runs, but slowed their rivals’ bid for quick runs by grabbing wickets at regular intervals.
Zaheer Khan led India’s fight back with an unbeaten 57, his teams top score, and then removed the dangerous Matthew Hayden for 13 when the Australians batted for a second time.
Hayden was given out leg before to Zaheer by Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf for the second time in the match, but TV replays indicated the ball would have missed the leg stump.
Ponting, who made a century in the first innings, was snapped up low at short mid wicket by VVS Laxman off seamer Ishant Sharma for 17.
Opener Simon Katich (34) put on 50 for the third wicket with Michael Hussey when he was caught by Laxman at silly point off Harbhajan Singh to make the tourists 99 for three.
AFP, Bangalore
